Water-closet



No. 437,709. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. McDONALD. WATER CLOSET.

(No Model.)

Jzzfsnlbr k w k UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD MCDONALD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WATER-CLOSET.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,709, dated October '7, 1890.

Application filed November 29, 1889. Serial No. 331,990. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States of America. and a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Flushing ater-Closets, of which the following is a specification.

The various features of my invention and the several advantages resulting therefrom will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of my improved devices, the valve-stem and the ordinary rockbar, lever-chain, chain-eye, and of the tank, the ball, and inlet cock being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section of the pipe or tube 0 and its surrounding pipe or cylinder 13, taken at the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the valve, valve-seat, and their immediate accompaniments, and showing a minor modification of the means for guiding the valve. Fig. 4 is a top view of the valve-seat shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the valve shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my improved devices, the valve-seat and its connections being for the purposes of perspicuity shown in sect-i011. Fig. 7 is a vertical central section of the devices shown in Fig. 6, the valve-stem and the ordinary rockbar, lever-chain and chain-eye, and side of tank being shown in elevation, the pipe 0 and that part of cylinder B surrounding said pipe being filled with water, and illustrating the operation of myimproved devices. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 illustrate a modification of the device for rendering the cylinder B adjustable in relation to the pipe 0. Fig. 8 is a vertical central section of the upper portion of the cylinderB and the head D, which latter carries the pipe 0, the said section being taken at the dottedline 8 f Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of the device shown in Fig. 8, the said section being taken in the plane of the dotted line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the cylinder B, taken in the plane of the dotted line 10 10 of Fig. 9, all of the cap D being removed except the pin or lug which successively fits the adjacent steps of the recess in the inner side of the cylinder B. These steps are shown in Fig. 10.

A indicates the tank. In the lower or bottom portion of this tank A is located the valve-seat M. That interior surface of this valve which constitutes the seat proper is beveled downwardly and inwardly, as shown. The valve-seat when united to the floor is preferably provided with horizontal shoulders or flanges m resting 011 the. floor a. of tank A. A tubular extension m of the valve-seat passes down through the said floor a and is there provided with a screw-thread, which engages the interior screw thread of a secur-' ing-nut m whereby the said fioor is tightly clamped between said nut m and the shoulders or flanges m and the valve-seat M is held fixedly in position.

In the preferred mode of steadying the valve II the vertical interior of the tubular extension of the valve-seat is employed as the guide for this purpose, the pipe C being extended below the valve and being directed in its vertical course by the interior of the tubular part of said. valve-seat. For preventing the valve rising too high off from its seat the interior of the tubular portion of the valve-seat is made somewhat larger than the tube, and is at or near its end provided with an outlying flange R. The valve-seat is likewise provided with an inwardly-extending flange S, located at the upper portion of said tubular portion. As the pipe 0 is elevated, as hereinafter mentioned, the flange R comes in contact with the flange S and prevents the pipe 0 from being raised any higher. Thus the pipe 0 will never leave its guideway and the valve will always correctlv seat itself on the valve-seat as the pipe 0 is lowered. In the lower portion of the pipe are the passages T, which open a water con1- munication between the exterior and the interior of the pipe 0 above the bottom thereof for the purposes hereinafter mentioned.

Another or modified form of steadying the valve II is shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 and consists of the following means: The Valveseat is provided with the customary central guideway m supported by radial arms connected to the seat. Through this guideway passes the valve-rod m This rod is connected to the valve H and held at a point central therein by a radial brace m These last-dc scribed means for guiding the valve are obj ectionable, as the braces m and m retard the flow of the water down pipe 0 from cyl inder B. The means shown in Fig. 1 for guiding the valve offer no such impediment to the water and are therefore greatly to be preferred.

On the exterior of the valve is the usual packing h, here located closely against the side of said valve and prevented from slipping downward therefrom by the beveled sides of the valve enlarging the lower diameter of the valve and the interior beveled surface of the ring formed of said packing "narrowing the upper diameter of i said ring 77,. In this way the valve acts as a wedge to prevent the packing from slipping downward and off fromit. The packing is prevented from being shoved upward on the valve and displaced by the annular flange if of said valve.

The valve is provided with a central passage-way through it, as shown. The valve is screwed or otherwise suitably united to the pipe C.

Surrounding pipe C is the larger tube or cylinder B. Between this cylinder B and the tubeOis an annular space 19 The upper end of this cylinder B is closed by a head D, se-

' cured to the cylinder.

To an eye or lug d fixed to the head D, is connected one end of a chain 6', the other end of which is connected to the end of lever or rock-beam E, pivoted at 6 upon a pivot suitably supported. To the other end of the lever E is connected the usual cord or pullchain 'c. I

The upper or impervious diaphragmic portion of the head D is stretched across the entire diameter of the cylinder B, and prevents any fluid in ,the said cylinder B from passing from one side of this diaphragm to the other side thereof.

The tube 0 is fixed within the cylinder B, the upper end of the tube 0 being secured to a spider or radial braces d secured in the cylinder B.

. Water-ways d connect the space b between tube 0 and cylinder B with the space inside the tube 0.

A very important feature of my invention is the following: The cylinder B is made vertically adjustable in relation to valve H, pipe 0, head D, and arms at. The preferred construction for accomplishing this purpose is as follows, viz: The head D is provided with an annular flange d. This flange closely fits the adjacent interior surface of the cylinder B, and is provided wit-h a screw-thread'engaging a screw-thread on the interior surface of the cylinder B. By rotating the cylinder B upon the head D the cylinder B is elevated or depressed upon the head D. The radial arms or braces 01 to which the pipe 0 is connected, are fixed to this annular flange d of the head D, and hence the pipe 0 and the water-ways d and the headD move together, and the alteration of the position of cylinderB with reference to the head simultaneously alters the position of the cylinder B in relation to the valve H, pipe 0, head D, and arms d.

The mode in which my invention operates is as follows: The tank A is filled with water. Pulling the chain c raises the valve l-I off of its seat M and allows the water to pass down through the valve-seat to the closet. When the pipe C extends below the valve, as in Fig. 1, the water passes through the openings T in it. WVhen the pull on the chain c is released, the valve descends, and with it descends the tube'C, headD, and cylinder B as one device. The weight of the water in that portion of the pipe which is below the valve draws the water in pipe 0 downward and sucks upward through the passage-way b of cylinder 0 the water in the tank A. The combination of the pipe 0 and water passage-way b acts as a siphon, and the water from the tank continues to pass through the passageways I) d and down through the pipe 0 until the surface of the water in the tank has descended to a level with the lower edge of the cylinder B, whereupon the siphon action of the water is stopped, and no more water will at this discharge flow into the pipe 0 from the valve into the water-closet.

Among devices other than the screw-thread for rendering cylinder B adjustable in relation to pipe 0 may be mentioned the wellis a like recess d and groove d similarly located in respect to each other and to the upper end of the cylinder B. Two lugs (Z are present on the exterior wall of the cap D, the lugs being on opposite sides of the cap. The cap D is introduced into the upper end of the cylinder B, each lug d fitting into its adjacent groove (1 The cap D is now lowered, the lugs d passing down their respective grooves (Z and into the first step of recess (1. By rotating the cap a little and lowering it the lugs 61 will, after the manner of a bayonet-joint, descend into the next lower step. Th us the cylinder has been elevated one step in relation to the cap D. By continuing this operation the operator is enabled to set the cylinder as high in relation to the cap as the series of steps will admit. By reversing the aforesaid operation the cylinder B will be adjusted lower in relation to the cap D.

My device is very effective as atrap, and does not allow any gas to pass from the closet up through the valve H and through the p e A single pipe bent to form a siphon in connection with a valve is a rude and imperfect device and is unbalanced and unadjustable.

My device presents an instrument operating as a siphon in all directions around pipe 0, and hence perfectly balances the latter pipe and the valve and prevents oscillation of the valve and pipe C and the leakage and other disadvantages resulting from an unbalanced and oscillating valve and siphon.

By my invention I am enabled to regulate the amount of water which shall be discharged from the tank A into the water-closet below. The mode in which this feature of my invention operates is as follows: WVhen a greater quantity of water is required, the cylinder B is screwed upon the head D, so as to cause the-cylinder B to be lower down in reference to the head D. As a result of this new adjustment, the passage-way b and the tube 0 will act.as a siphon for a longer time, because the lower edge of the cylinder B is now lower in the tank than it was before the cylinder B was depressed, as mentioned. Hence all the water in the tank down to this new and lower level will be drawn off through the pipe C and valve, and consequently a greater quantity of water from the tank will be used in one operation to flush the closet. By reversing the above-described adjustment and elevating the cylinder B in relation to the head D in the pipe 0 the amount of water used to flush the closet at one operation for a like reason will be diminished. It is therefore obvious that, according to the amount of elevation or depression of the cylinder B in relation to the head D and pipe 0 and the valve 11, the quantity of water used at one operation to flush the closet will be varied. Thus the quantity of water employed to flush the closet can be easily and quickly and accurately regulated.

\Vhile the various features of my invention are preferably employed together, on e or more of said features may be used without the remainder, and, in so far as applicable, one or more of said features may be used in connection with other apparatus for flushing waterclosets than the one herein specifically set forth.

justable in relation to said head and pipe, a water-passage 11 being present between the exterior of pipe 0 and the interior of cylinder B, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The tank, valve-seat, hollow valve connected to vertical pipe 0, cylinder B around pipe 0, cylinder-head, and passage-waylocated between the cylinder B and connecting over and at the top of pipe 0 and beneath said cylinder-head with the passage-way through pipe 0, the said cylinder-head being united to the cylinder by a screw-threaded connection and being vertically adjustable with reference to said cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The tank, valve-seat, valve, pipe 0, connected to the valve and connected to head D through means of the annular flange d and braces d, and cylinder B, surrounding pipe 0 and forming water-way b the cylinder being vertically adjustable in relation to said head, pipe, and valve, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The tank, valve-seat, hollow valve connected to pipe O,head D having annular flange d, provided exteriorly with screw-thread and carrying arms or braces (1*, to which pipe 0 is secured, and cylinder B around pipe 0 and provided with interior screw-thread engaging the screw on head D, water-ways b and 01 being present in connection with pipe 0, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The tank, valve-seat, valve H, and head D, having portion at and radial arms (1*, the pipe 0 being secured at one end to said valve and at the other to said arms by screw-connections, and cylinder B, surrounding head D and pipe 0 and their interconnections and having interior screw-th read en gaging ascrewthread on the head D cl, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. The tank, valve-seat, valve, head D, pipe 0 intermediate between said head and valve and in connection therewith, water-ways b d, and cylinder B, surrounding said head and pipe and adjustable in relation thereto, the head D and what it carries being suspended from a lever in connection with the closet-pull, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

EDlV. MCDONALD.

Attest:

WM. E. J ONES, CHARLES WALTON. 

